Drink up
Staying hydrated with water helps kids’ fine motor skills and visual attention, experts says. But getting them to drink enough can be hard. Enter Gululu Go, an interactive water bottle and app that motivates them to drink. As kids drink, their Gululu virtual pet grows and makes friends. It does come at a cost. $119.
Always popular Nalgene motivates kids in a more low-tech way–with superheroes and great colors. And parents can be assured the U.S.A-made bottles are BPA/BPS free. New this year is an updated Grip-n-Gulp bottle especially for preschoolers, plus new colors and graphics. Prices vary.
Better sleep
Give kids better sleep with a weighted eye pillow. Families with special needs have known for some time that gentle pressure from weighted blankets can sometimes work wonders. Now nodpod is out with a weighted eye pillow that can relieve headaches, stress and insomnia. When we tested it for two weeks, we found it actually feels great. $29.99.
Crazy for little backpacks
You might be seeing a lot of the Zip and Zoe backpacks, lunch boxes and ice packs this fall. Created by London-based parenting accessories brand Babymel, the backpacks are big on color and fun–plus they fit standard books and notebooks for preschoolers and early elementary. $27.95 backpacks, $16.95 lunchies.
This article originally appeared in the August issue of Chicago Parent. Read the rest of the issue.Â
